Impatiens plant named ‘TiTag’

ABSTRACT

A new an distinct cultivar of  Impatiens walleriana  plant as illustrated named ‘TiTag’, characterized by moderately strong peduncles and pedicels, large flowers, fully double and symmetrical, very bright orange colored flowers, strong stems, flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage, good heat tolerance, dark green foliage and mounded, freely branching and dense plant habit.

BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar botanicallyknown as Impatiens walleriana, and by the cultivar name ‘TiTag’.

The cultivar of the photograph was developed and selected in acontrolled breeding program in a controlled environment in Broadbent,Oreg. by the inventors, Harlan Cosner and Sue Cosner, as describedherein.

BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The closest known cultivar of prior art is named ‘Tropical Orange’,subject of U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,610.

COMPARISON

The impatiens plant of the present invention differs from prior plants,namely ‘Tropical Orange’ in at least the following ways:

1. the plant of the present invention has been shown to perform betterin the heat than ‘Tropical Orange’;

2. the flowers of the present invention have been shown to have morestable coloring than the flowers of ‘Tropical Orange’, which hadinstability in flower color ranging from orange to soft salmon, andvariegated orange/soft salmon colored flowers;

3. the present cultivar have been shown to have darker foliage than thatof ‘Tropical Orange’;

4. the present cultivars have been shown to have stronger stems thanthose of ‘Tropical Orange’; and

5. the peduncles and pedicels of the present impatiens plants arestronger than those of ‘Tropical Orange’. The weaker peduncles andpedicels on ‘Tropical Orange’ cause the flowers to droop slightly tomoderately.

These and other characteristics will be apparent to persons skilled inthe art.

The present cultivar was developed by standard cross-pollination. Itsseed parent has semi-double orange flowers. This plant was designatedB-9X-11 under the inventors' controlled breeding program. The pollenparent has semi-double orange flowers. This plant was designatedB-9X-1300 under the inventors' controlled breeding program. The parentplants are not the subject of any granted patent or pending application.The cross was made in the inventors' controlled breeding program, andthe first asexual reproduction was made at Coquille, Oreg. Successiveasexually reproduced generations have shown the present invention to bestable. Each asexually reproduced generation has been accomplished usinglateral stems with leaves.

The traits of the cultivar of the present invention that have beenobserved in each successive generation of asexual reproduction and whichare unique, are moderately strong peduncles and pedicels, large flowers,fully double and symmetrical, very bright orange colored flowers, strongstems, flowers that are positioned above or beyond the foliage, darkgreen foliage and mounded, freely branching and dense plant habit, andboth male and female sterility.

Color references are according to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significanceare used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following observations, measurements and description of the plantsand flowers are based on the environmental and cultural practices atCoquille, Oreg. The following measurements, values and comparisonsdescribe plants grown under a double layer of polyethylene film withtemperatures typically ranging from about 55° F. to about 85° F. duringthe daytime. Night heat was provided by bench top set at 62° F. Theindividual plants were grown in six-inch Azalea containers in a soilessmedium. Plants were liquid fed with high nitrate plus trace elementsapplied at N level 150 PPM of two successive feedings followed by oneleaching of clear water. Plants started in the last week of June andfinished in late September and grown at light levels between 4,000 and6,000 ft. candles.

The plant of the present invention has not been observed in all possibleenvironmental and/or cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysignificantly with variations in environment such as temperature, lightlevel, humidity and also with cultural practices such as fertility, soiland water quality.

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance and theflower color of the cultivar of the present invention described herein.The photograph was taken of a mature plant 14 weeks of age, during fullinflorescence. There may be variations between the colors in thephotograph and the colors in the following description due to lightreflectance, or the amount of blue or red light captured in the film. Ifsuch variations occur, the written description shall control.

Parentage: The new cultivar was developed by standard cross-pollination.As noted above, its seed parent was a semi-double with orange flowers.Its pollen parent was a semi-double with orange flowers.

Propagation:

Type cutting.—Lateral tips of plants were the cuttings used for asexualreproduction.

Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 7 to 14 days at 72° F. soiltemperature.

Appearance and form of plant:

Plant form and habit.—Mounded to prostrate mounded, with a mediumvigorous, dense and bushy growing habit.

Plant size.—Height is about 24 cm and width is about 45 cm.

Root description.—The rooting habit is characterized by numerous,fibrous and well-branched roots.

Branching habit.—Plants are self-branching. Stems are strong and freelyproduced. The number of stems depends upon cultural practices, age ofstems used as cuttings and the number of growth buds present on thecutting when stuck. The average stem length is about 22.5 cm. Each stemgenerally produces about three laterals.

Stems.—Diameter is about 0.5 cm, and become larger with age. Internodelength is about 2.75 cm. Color is 146B to 146C with markings close to178A. The observed plant's stem texture is smooth.

Foliage.—Leaves are simple, generally symmetrical, abundant, alternateand flat. Shape is ovate with attenuate base, acuminate apex, andcrenate margin. Texture is smooth and satiny. The observed plant's leafvenation pattern is similar to other plants having similar leaf shapes,with single veins branching upwardly off from the central, longitudinalaxis of each leaf, along the length of the axis, toward the margin ofthe leaf and forming an acute angle relative to the axis.

Foliage size.—Size of the largest leaves is about 7 cm in length, and4.5 cm in width.

Foliage color.—Adaxial color is darker than 147A, venation is 146A.Abaxial is close to 148B with markings close to 177A, venation is closeto 146A with reddish markings close to 178B.

Petioles.—Each petiole is half round with a top surface width of about 3mm, a depth of about 1.5 mm and a length of about 1.5 cm. Color on thebottom surface is 146B, the top surface is close to 148B to 148C withreddish markings close to 178B.

Flower size.—The largest flowers have a diameter of about 5.5 cm, adepth of about 2.25 cm.

Flower texture.—The flower texture is smooth and satiny.

Flower count.—12 or more per stem from buds to open flowers at any timeduring the flowering period.

Flower fragrance.—No discernible fragrance.

Natural flowering season.—Year around under greenhouse conditions, andthe frost-free period from spring through fall outdoors.

Duration of flowering.—Continuous throughout the flowering season.

Time to flower.—About six weeks from a rooted cutting.

Buds.—Buds are ovate in shape with a length of about 1.1 cm, a width ofabout 1 cm and a depth of about 1 cm. Bottom color close to 146C to146D. Top is 146C with blotches close to 178B.

Petal size and shape.—The largest petals generally consist of two petalsfused at base, overlapping at center, each being about 2.5 cm in lengthand about 2.7 cm in width. Shape is obovate to exaggerated obovate withattenuate base, entire margin, obtuse to retuse apex.

Petal color.—Adaxial color is close to 33A at the center and 40A towardedges. Abaxial color is closest to 40C with spots at center toward baseclose to 193C to 193D.

Petal count.—Numerous, generally 25 or more.

Spur.—Shape is a curved acicular tube about 4 cm. in length, and about 3mm. in diameter at sepal end, tapering to a point at the apex. Color isclose to 199B at the base, darkening to close to 183A at the apex.

Calyx.—The calyx consists of a single sepal. The size of largest isabout 1 cm. long and about 1 cm. wide. Abaxial color is 193A. Adaxialsurface color is 193B with a blotch at base close to 181C.

Peduncles.—Length is about 2 cm. and diameter is about 2 mm. Color is146B with reddish hard to determine tiny streaks which appear close to187C. Peduncles have a smooth texture.

Pedicels.—Usually number 2 or 3 with a length of about 2 cm. anddiameter is about 2 mm. Color is 146B with reddish hard to determinetiny streaks which appear close to 187C. Pedicels have a smooth texture.

Reproductive organs.—The plants of the new cultivar are both male andfemale sterile. No reproductive organs have been found to exist.

Disease resistance.—Plants have shown good resistance to botrytis.

Rooting ability.—Easy, no hormones are required.

Cold/heat resistance.—‘TiTag’ was grown side by side with ‘TropicalOrange’ in temperatures of daytime highs of about 90° F. ‘TropicalOrange’ had weak stems, causing the plant to fall over, the peduncleswere weak and could not properly support the flowers in a face-outposition, and the color was faded and unstable. ‘TiTag’ showed strongpeduncles keeping the flowers positioned face out, the color was brightand clear the plant maintained a nice mounded appearance, and itsflowers were larger than the flowers of ‘Tropical Orange’.

What is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens wallerianaplant as illustrated and as described herein.